{"id":17818,"date":"2023-10-10T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/?p=17818"},"modified":"2023-12-12T13:13:36","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T18:13:36","slug":"forget-everything-you-know-about-book-clubs-for-adults","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/forget-everything-you-know-about-book-clubs-for-adults\/","title":{"rendered":"Forget Everything You Know About Book Clubs for Adults"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Readers around the world have used Meetup to make their dream book club a reality. The following clubs have gotten creative to build communities that gather regularly to chat about books. Learn how these non-traditional adult book clubs are bending all of the rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don’t have to read the same book in your adult book clubs.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To some, reading a required book feels like an assignment rather than a fun hobby. When Samantha created The \u201cChoose Your Own Book\u201d Book Club <\/a>in Melbourne, Australia, she gave members the freedom to choose their own books. \u201cIt\u2019s a book club without the homework,\u201d Samantha explains. \u201cA choose-your-own-book club allows people to come together to share their passion for stories.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sally, co-organizer, adds, \u201cEven though we don’t have a set book, our group never runs out of things to discuss! We don’t mind what you read, we want to hear about it [and] explore the themes it brings up with you.\u201d This style of book club is great for groups who have varying taste in books, but also want to chat about what they\u2019re reading with others! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can discuss more than just books in your adult book clubs.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Books can certainly teach us about new topics, but you don\u2019t have to limit the conversation books! In Seattle, Social Equity Study Group <\/a>meets monthly to discuss equity and social justice, but branches out beyond the written word. Incorporating podcasts, documentaries, YouTube videos, and more into their studies, this group\u2019s multimedia approach is engaging, adaptable, and meets people where they are. A mixed media style \u201cbook\u201d club is a great way to dive deeper into any topic and learn together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take your book club to the trails!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A book club can be adventurous! In Birmingham, Michigan, Hike with Avid Readers, Learners, and Thinkers<\/a> gathers monthly for a hike to chat about their recent reads while getting some exercise and fresh air. \u201cI enjoy reading and hiking, which both tend to be solitary activities. By combining them in a Meetup group, we turn them into a social activity where we can meet a variety of new people,\u201d Norm, the organizer, explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this group, attendees are expected to arrive ready to discuss what they\u2019ve been reading, but they don\u2019t have to all read the same book. \u201cBy sharing what we are reading during the hike, we overcome the awkwardness of starting a conversation with a stranger,\u201d Norm adds. If you love the outdoors, getting active, and one-on-one conversations, this style of book club might be for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to talk.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An introvert\u2019s dream, the Silent Book Club in NYC<\/a>, Seattle<\/a>, and online<\/a> starts events with introductions, followed by an hour of silent reading. Afterward, attendees are invited to share about what they\u2019re reading if they\u2019d like. This optional discussion is similar to a choose-your-own-book club event, but the low-pressure nature of these Meetup events means that anyone who loves to read can join! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t even have to read the book!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Typically, book club members are supposed to read something in order to participate. In Chicago, the I Haven’t Read the Book Club<\/a> does away with that expectation. \u201cI was having difficulty finishing the books in time for the adult book clubs that I signed up for. It was hard to consistently commit to the adult book clubs I joined, and consistency is key to developing friendships<\/a> and feeling like you\u2019re \u2018part of the club,\u2019\u201d Tierney, the organizer, explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tierney chooses books that have been turned into movies or books by well-known authors to make it easier for everyone to participate in a discussion. Low-pressure events like these can be great for casual readers looking to build a community around books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Hike with Avid Readers, Learners, and Thinkers<\/em> book club
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ready to start your own book club? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no right or wrong way to organize a book club! Organizers of these adult book clubs have tips for anyone thinking about starting one:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tierney<\/strong>: Figure out exactly what you want to get out of the book club.  If you\u2019re trying to attract a certain demographic (e.g., horror novelists, music lovers, biography bingers), theme your book club in a way that will attract them. If you just want to meet like-minded readers, then start with a book you recently read that really stuck with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samantha:<\/strong> Group size and acoustics matter! We cap our meetings to no more than 15 people. You don\u2019t want the group to be too big as it\u2019s hard to have one cohesive discussion, plus it gets hard to hear everyone properly. If your group becomes really popular, introduce a small attendance fee. This encourages people to only RSVP if they are truly planning to attend, and it helps pay for organizer fees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norm<\/strong>: Have modest goals for attendance because often the response is small and some people won\u2019t show up. Make sure that you are receiving a net positive benefit from the work that you\u2019ll need to do to organize each event and handle issues as they arise. It needs to be a win-win for you; otherwise, you will burn out. The longer that I run the group, the easier it gets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sally:<\/strong> Be open-minded. Some of the perspectives and discussions we’ve had are so thrilling and engaging. I’ve considered things in different ways, learned things, and really listened to experiences and ideas that were new to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Share your love of reading with others\u2014start your own book club today.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

These creative Meetup groups are anything but \u201cby the book.\u201d Learn about five book clubs that are making their own rules to build tight-knit communities of readers. <\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":17819,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,44],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nForget Everything You Know About Book Clubs for Adults - Meetup Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about five adult book clubs that are making their own rules to build tight-knit communities of readers. 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